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Consumer Watchdog

The Gifts that Keep on Giving

The governor’s office has announced appointing another donor to a political post.

Samuel Hardage — whose wife won a Schwarzenegger appointment to the Del Mar Fair Board
— was appointed to the Commission on Judicial Performance on Friday.
Hardage and his investment firm have donated $59,500 to the governor.
The Hardages are the only husband and wife donors (as far as we know)
whose gifts kept on giving, but at least 13 other Schwarzenegger donors have received appointments.

Money comes in, favors go out. The people lose. That’s how Arnold laid
it out for the voters during the recall. But he has become a master of
the cycle, despite his promises of change.



Carmen Balber

Consumer Watchdog executive director Carmen Balber has been with the organization for nearly two decades. She spent four years directing the group’s Washington, D.C. office where she advocated for key health insurance market reforms that were ultimately enacted into law as part of the Affordable Care Act.

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